


a traditional bear shifter romance

by twistedsky



Series: project queer [5]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-01-21 13:12:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12458502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twistedsky/pseuds/twistedsky
Summary: Allison returns from the dead, but she's a little different now.





	a traditional bear shifter romance

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is the fourth written for Project Queer--a fic project where everyone is gay, lesbian, bi, pan, trans, ace, etc etc. Explicit or not.
> 
> Prompt: Teen Wolf+Bear Shifter Romance

The bear runs through the woods, breathing heavily and growling with exhaustion. It reaches a small clearing within the trees, and then collapses.

It's going somewhere, but it isn't running away from something. In fact, it's running to something.

It falls asleep immediately, and its body shifts into that of a young woman.

A wolf howls in the distance.

~~

"I just have a feeling," Lydia says, with a dismissive hand wave.

Stiles sighs, because he keeps asking if there's a dead body, and Lydia shakes her head. And yet, here they are, in the middle of the woods, looking for someone or something.

"It'd be nice if we knew what we were looking for," Malia mutters under her breath, and Kira elbows her gently, giving her girlfriend a warning glance. "Sorry," Malia says, clearly not all that sorry.

Lydia doesn't care.

Lydia can feel something, and she's not sure if it's related to being a banshee, or if it's something else, but she knows that this is where they need to be.

Scott puts a hand on her shoulder, and Lydia leans in for the support. She nods at him thankfully.

"Let's keep looking," Scott says.

"Hopefully we find whatever we're looking for soon," Liam adds. "It's getting late, and we've got practice tomorrow."

"We're close," Lydia says decisively. She looks around at the trees that surround them, then frowns. "That way," she says, pointing in a direction that feels right.

They keep going, until Scott freezes. There's a deeply troubled look on his face, but Lydia feels a surge of joy. They're close.

"Scott?" Stiles says gently, and Scott shakes his head.

"I just--I swore I recognized a scent." Scott frowns. "It can't be right."

"Follow it," Lydia tells him, following her instincts.

Scott takes off, and they all run after him. Some faster than others, of course, which is why Stiles and Lydia break into a clearing to the sight of Scott crying over a body.

They run up, and Lydia collapses on the ground next to the sleeping woman. "Allison?" Lydia reaches out a hand and shakes the woman, holding back her own tears.

This is some sort of dream or nightmare, depending on how it ends. There's no way that she's here.

The woman's eyes flutter open. "Lydia?" Allison says before passing back out, and Lydia smiles.

"We're right here, Allison."

~~

The others go through the motions, and Lydia and Scott tend to Allison. She hasn't said much at all, as she keeps drifting in and out of consciousness.

They take her to her father's house, and none of them want to leave.

Chris cries openly over Allison, who wakes up long enough to hug him and cry a little herself.

Lydia has a lot of questions. She knows that Allison died, because she felt it. She doesn't understand how this is Allison, how she's here, how she's okay.

She's grateful, but she's seen a lot over the past years, and she knows that things aren't always what they seem.

"What happened, Allison?" Lydia asks when Chris leaves the room for a moment to get Allison something to eat.

Allison shakes her head. "I--I remember dying, and then I remember clawing my way out of somewhere dark. And then it's all a blur. All intense emotions, like everything was instinctive, and I couldn't seem to focus on anything besides food and warmth and fear." Scott takes Allison's hand, and squeezes it comfortingly.

Lydia exchanges a look with Stiles. "What do you mean, clawing?"

Allison frowns. "I think I was . . . something else. I wasn't human. It was--"

"Like me?" Malia asks. "Stuck in the mind and body of an animal?"

"I don't know, " Allison says. "I think that might be what I was, but I don't understand how. Or what I was. I--"

Lydia takes Allison's open hand and squeezes it gently. "We'll figure that out later," she promises. "For now, we'll just take it one step at a time."

"Thank you," Allison forces a smile. "I appreciate it."

~~

Two weeks pass before Chris is willing to let Allison out of his sight. Even then, he delivers some not quite idle threats.

Lydia doesn't blame him, and she can tell from the pack's faces that they don't either.

Today it's just the four of them--Lydia, Allison, Scott and Stiles. They don't want to overwhelm Allison. They want to keep things calm.

Allison seems frustrated, which is why she grabbed her bow and demanded to go out into the woods for target practice.

It's almost cozy--idle chit chat.

"Malia and I dated for a while," Stiles tells Allison, catching her up with the hot gossip. Lydia can't help but roll her eyes. "But then we kind of broke up? And Kira and Scott--" Stiles trails off, now recognizing how awkward this line of conversation is. He looks at Scott, _like dude, please, help me out here._

"It's fine," Allison waves a hand. "Scott and I were broken up before I was even--" she swallows hard. "Dead."

"You're not dead," Scott says softly, gently nudging Allison's shoulder. "You're right here, with us."

Lydia watches them carefully, wondering if they're going to get back together.

Lydia knows she's being uncharacteristically quiet, but she doesn't know what to say.

She just wants to hug Allison, and tell her never to leave again, because she wouldn't be able to bear it. But that's not her style, and so she says nothing.

Allison practices shooting for a while until she seems to steady herself. She lowers her bow and smiles, and it's like the sun has broken out of the clouds.

It lifts Lydia's spirits, to say the least.

"Okay," Allison says, setting her things down and squaring her shoulders. "It's time to figure this out. Deaton gave me some exercises that should draw out--whatever it is. I--" Allison breathes deeply, and Lydia can tell she's trying not to be afraid.

"You're afraid you won't be able to turn back, but you shouldn't be," Lydia says. "We're here, we'll keep you focused."

Allison nods, but her lips are set in a grim expression. She's determined, but afraid. 

They try everything that they can think of. Scott tries to force it out with his wolf, Allison tries to force it out with a little bit of hand to hand combat. They try fear, and they try anger, but nothing seems to happen.

It isn't until Allison is tired and sweaty, and they're all frustrated, that they figure it out.

Lydia fastidiously wraps Allison's scarf around her neck, patting it gently into place and smiling.

Allison smiles back, and her cheeks get . . . furry.

"Oh!" Lydia exclaims in surprise. "You did it."

Allison reaches up to rub her cheek, and she rubs the fur. "Huh."

"Interesting," Scott says, staring at Allison and frowning. "You're different from anything I've seen before."

Allison blushes red, and her whole face turns into that of a bear, and then quickly shifts back.

"Dude, that's awesome," Stiles says. "You're a bear shifter, like in those cheesy romance novels."

Lydia gives him a weird look, and he coughs.

"Which I clearly don't read," Stiles recovers. Badly, but he tries.

"Deaton did mention bears as a possibility," Allison says. "I want to talk to him again and see what he knows about them."

"Ah, research time," Stiles says. "My time to shine."

Lydia snorts. "Stiles," she says sweetly. "I thought you'd already done the research for this. With all the 'cheesy romance novels' you've read, that is."

Stiles sputters a bit, and then makes a grumpy face when Scott just smiles and shrugs back at him when he looks to him for support.

~~

Lydia spends all her free time at Allison's house. Chris is trying to figure out the legalities and logistics of Allison being alive again, and so they have to be careful. Allison rarely gets to leave the house, and when she does she spends most of her time in the woods, getting to know her inner bear.

"It's weird," Allison admits to Lydia privately. "It's primal. It's--" Allison meets Lydia's eyes. "I feel things differently."

"I'm sure you do," Lydia says. "Since I found my inner banshee, I've felt different. I am different. It changes you."

Allison's lips curve up slightly. "I know," she says, leaning a little closer, like she's about to impart a secret. "But it's different. Like Scott and the other wolves around the full moon? I feel that way around certain people, like the emotions are so intense, and I have this hunger that I don't quite understand."

"Hunger?" Lydia lifts a perfectly manicured brow. "What, do you want to eat us?" she quips, and Allison chuckles.

Allison's eyes seem dark and unfocused, and Lydia can't quite read her. "It's not that kind of hunger," she says softly, and Lydia's eyes widen.

"Oh," she says, and she's not sure what she's going to say next, but then there's a knock at Allison's door.

"Come in," Allison calls out, and the door opens. "Issac!" she exclaims, sliding off the bed and hugging him. Scott stands to the side, a little awkwardly.

Lydia averts her eyes from Allison and Isaac, and instead looks at Scott. She expects yearning, or pining, or something of the sort, but she’s surprised when he seems. . . fine.

“Why don’t Scott and I go make lunch,” Lydia suggests.

“Sounds great,” Scott says, and they both leave the room. Every reunion with Allison is special in its own way.

Before closing the door, she looks back at Allison, who catches her eye and smiles.

Lydia forces a smile, and then shuts the door, looking at Scott.

“It’s good to see Isaac again,” Scott says. “We talk sometimes, but it’s not the same. He still feels like pack.”

“Do you think he’ll move back?” Lydia asks. “I know he left in part because of Allison.”

“That wasn’t the only reason he left,” Scott reveals. “He needed a chance to be happy. I don’t think anyone would begrudge him that.”

“We all deserve a chance to be happy,” Lydia says firmly, and then looks sideways at Scott. “Are you still in love with Allison?”

It’s a little blunt, but Lydia’s not in the mood for niceties. Allison is her best friend, and she deserves to be happy. She's always belived that, but she feels it more strongly than ever before.

“I love her,” Scott says. “I always will.”

Lydia studies him carefully. “And?”

“I’ve--I’m not in love with her anymore,” Scott says, looking mildly uncomfortable. His face is scrunched up slightly, in that Scott sort of way.

Lydia’s watching him carefully enough to notice the tells. “Who are you in love with?” she asks curiously.

Scott looks at her and laughs. “Are you sure you’re not a werewolf?”

Lydia smiles slightly, and opens the freezer to grab a frozen pizza. “Just your friend,” Lydia says.

Scott hesitates now, and Lydia wonders what the hold up is. It’s not that he doesn’t want to tell her, she thinks. It’s that he hasn’t told anyone yet.

Whomever it is, he’s barely managed to admit it to himself.

She thinks back over the past few months, considering small secret smiles and longing looks.

“Oh,” Lydia gasps, and then smiles again. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”

Scott is obviously head over heels in love with Stiles.

“Lydia--” Scott starts to say, but then sighs. The oven beeps, telling them that it’s preheated.

Lydia unwraps the pizza and slides it in the oven.

“Are you worried that Allison and Isaac are going to hear you?” Lydia asks. “I’m sure they aren’t even paying attention.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Scott says with a shrug. He’s aiming for nonchalant, but it’s clear he cares.

“Of course it does,” Lydia says. “If you love someone, you should tell them.”

Scott sets the timer, and sits down on one of the bar stools.

Lydia studies him carefully. “Stiles loves you enough to try.”

Scott looks up at her sharply. “I--”

“I know. You don’t want to say it. But I’ve seen the way you look at him. And I’ve seen the way he looks at you. If he’s not already in love with you, it wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge.”

“I don’t want him to just try for me,” Scott says quickly, like he’s been holding the fear back for a while.

Lydia frowns. “But--” Scott shakes his head, nodding his head toward the stairs.

Allison and Isaac are making their way downstairs, Lydia realizes.

“Be brave, Scott McCall,” Lydia says softly.

Scott gives her a strange look. “You too, Lydia.”

“Always,” Lydia says with a dismissive hand wave.

~~

Isaac has to leave a week later because of school, but he promises to come back during the summer.

Lydia plops on Allison’s bed while holding a book, and frowns. “I can’t believe you have to homeschool. You have a new fake identity anyway.”

“My dad is worried about someone recognizing me here. I don’t blame him.” Allison sighs. “I feel so behind. I lost--I lost so much time.”

Lydia reaches out and pats Allison’s hand. “We’re going to get you right back up to speed,” she promises. “I’m the best tutor, as Malia can attest to. We’ll graduate, and go to college together, the way we were always supposed to.”

Allison nods. “I guess I should be glad I have geniuses as friends,” she says lightly. “Since you guys are falsifying all of my records so that I can apply to colleges.”

“What are friends for?” Lydia asks, completely blase. To be fair, Scott's dad helped a little with that too.

Lydia is grateful to have Allison back, and she wouldn’t change that for the world, but there’s something discomforting about their friendship now. It’s slightly tilted off-kilter, and Lydia doesn’t know why.

Allison stares off into space sometimes, and she seems so haunted, and Lydia doesn’t know how to help her.

“Deaton says that bear shifters tend to be . . . drawn to mates,” Allison tells her now, and Lydia raises an eyebrow.

“Is that a concern for you?” Lydia asks carefully.

Allison laughs, and it’s tinged with hysteria. “A little bit,” she admits finally.

“Hmm,” Lydia considers it, putting down the book in her hands and looking at Allison. “Have you been getting all lusty over anyone yet?” she teases.

The uncomfortable look on Allison’s face says it all, and Lydia’s mouth drops open.

“Wow,” Lydia says, clearing her throat. “So, who’s the lucky guy? Is it Isaac? Scott? A surprise third contender like Stiles?” She’s hoping for Isaac now, to be honest, especially considering her conversation with Scott about Stiles.

“Actually,” Allison takes a deep breath. “It’s someone else.”

“Huh,” Lydia says. “Maybe it’s better to start with a clean state,” she says finally. “Though, if they don’t know your secret, then that might be a bit of a problem.”

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem.” Allison looks at her with pleading eyes, and Lydia is struggling to get at what she’s talking about it.

“Maybe we should stop talking in circles,” Lydia says, barely managing to bite down on her impatience. “Who is it?”

“You,” Allison says finally, and Lydia isn’t sure if it’s a joke at first.

“Really?” Lydia asks. “That’s--different.” Her inner scientist wants to ask a million questions. “What’s the feeling like, exactly?”

Allison readjusts herself on the bed so that she’s sitting right next to Lydia. “It’s not entirely new,” she admits, and Lydia is floored.

“What do you mean?” Lydia demands.

“I mean, I had feelings for you before, but there was Isaac, and Scott, and--it was less intense. But now it’s like--” Allison closes her eyes, and Lydia watches her with rapt attention. “My feelings for Isaac and Scott are still there, but it’s different. “I think my bear is--in love with you.”

“But what do you feel?” Lydia presses. “Because your inner bear isn’t necessarily the same as you when you’re human. At least, not completely.”

“No, it is,” Allison says. “We’re on the same page.”

Lydia’s not sure what she’s supposed to do with this information. She’s had vague feelings for girls before, and she loves Allison, and Allison is attractive, but--it’s not that simple.

She suddenly understands what Scott was so afraid of.

“Let’s kiss,” Lydia says impulsively. “See if there’s even any kind of connection.”

Allison bites her lip, and then nods.

Allison cups Lydia’s face with her hands, and then kisses her.

Lydia’s never kissed a girl before--it’s softer, and there’s something soft blooming in her chest.

Allison pulls away first, and looks at Lydia. Her face is furry at the edges, and Lydia reaches up to caress the side of Allison’s face.

Allison leans into it. “Your bear is really soft,” Lydia says delicately.

“It’s weird having this new part of myself,” Allison admits. “She’s me, but she’s also buried a little deeper.”

“Do you like her?” Lydia asks, and she’s struck by how foolish the question feels.

“I do,” Allison says softly.

“My inner banshee feels like having a split personality,” Lydia says. “She’s rarely ever me. The gifts just take over me sometimes, and I have no control.”

“You found me,” Allison points out. “Your inner banshee found me.”

Lydia smiles, slightly. “I suppose that’s true,” she admits. “It’s one of the few times I’ve ever really felt connected to it, outside of feeling like I’m completely surrounded by death.”

Allison moves closer, and hugs her, and Lydia’s heart steadies in her chest. “I’m sorry,” she says.

Lydia hugs her back. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me too,” Allison says, her breath whispering on Lydia’s neck.

~~

After that day, Lydia can’t deny that things have changed.

She’s been in love before, and she knows how it feels. This feels like falling--that perilous, but beautiful stage, when things are still unsure, but so full of potential that your heart feels like it’s bursting with joy.

It’s an overly romantic notion, but it’s wonderful.

Allison and Lydia steal kisses during study dates, and hold hands watching movies.

“We should tell everyone,” Allison says one day.

Graduation is around the corner, and then they’ll be able to just spend every day with each other or the pack, enjoying their time until they go off to college.

They’re living together, partway between their campuses. It’s less than ideal in terms of traffic, but perfect in terms of being together. They’re all renting a house together, which means that Allison is probably right. They should tell their friends, because they’re going to find out sooner or later.

“I think Scott already knows. He keeps giving me these weird knowing smiles,” Lydia says. “It’s that werewolf nose,” Lydia scrunches up her own nose, and Allison leans forward and kisses her right on the nose. Lydia can't help the giggle that escapes, because it tickles.

"Scott and Stiles haven't told us about them yet," Allison points out. "But we know anyway."

"Because I'm observant, and you're a bear shifter, and you can sense it."

Allison lets her bear out a little, and the fur on her face tickles Lydia's neck.

“You’re ridiculous,” Lydia says breathlessly.

“But you love me anyway,” Allison says, and Lydia’s heart feels like it skips a beat. Allison's all human again, and so beautiful that it makes Lydia's heart literally ache.

“I do,” Lydia says, and Allison buries her face in Lydia’s neck, nuzzling her gently.

“I love you,” Allison says softly, “I think I was always supposed to.”

“That’s nauseatingly romantic,” Lydia says, but her breath still catches in her throat for a moment.

Allison is a bear shifter, and Lydia is a banshee. It’s not quite a match made in heaven, but it feels perfect nevertheless.

Allison’s hand slides between Lydia’s thighs, and Lydia laughs.

“Unfair,” Lydia declares, and Allison presses her hand against Lydia, and she gasps.

“I think it’s time we started to figure out what we like,” Allison says softly, and Lydia smiles wickedly, before using her body weight to roll Allison over, so that she’s on her back. “Definitely like that,” Allison laughs.

“Good,” Lydia says, and she leans down to kiss her once again. “We have all the time in the world,” she says.

“This is just the beginning,” Allison says, and it sounds like a promise.

Lydia likes the sound of that.


End file.
